A portrait that had been relegated to storage for decades has been reattributed to the renowned 18th-century portraitist Thomas Gainsborough, surprising the Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) in England. Previously regarded as bearing only a resemblance to Thomas Gainsborough’s work but deemed “too coarse” to be his creation, the painting has now been officially recognized as his, 60 years after it was donated to the museum. The unsigned portrait depicts Captain Frederick Cornewall and was gifted to the RMG in 1960 by collector Edward Peter Jones. Although initially attributed to Gainsborough, the museum’s former curator believed it fell short of the artist’s caliber. However, Thomas Gainsborough expert Hugh Belsey stumbled upon an early 20th-century image of the portrait, which was once in the possession of the esteemed British dealership Agnew’s. Belsey traced the provenance back to Jones but lost track of it shortly after. Fortunately, an acquaintance spotted the artwork in an illustrated catalogue of the National Maritime Museum’s holdings.
After Belsey’s request to retrieve the painting from the depths of museum storage, it was confirmed to be an authentic Gainsborough. The RMG’s current curator, Katherine Gazzard, also agreed with the reattribution. Gazzard referred to the misattribution as a “cautionary tale,” emphasizing the importance of meticulousness when attributing works. She expressed excitement rather than embarrassment over the discovery, which can be dated back to around 1762 when a young Gainsborough was active in Bath, England.
Explaining why the curator from the 1960s doubted the portrait’s authenticity as a Gainsborough piece, Belsey revealed that the artist was rapidly evolving during that period. As Gainsborough attracted more commissions, his style became more assured, and his brushstroke freer.
RMG has initiated a fundraising campaign to finance the restoration of both the painting and its frame, which is estimated to cost around £60,000. Once restored, the artwork will be displayed in the Queen’s House at RMG next year, marking a long-awaited recognition of Gainsborough’s contribution to the piece and highlighting the importance of careful evaluation in the attribution of artworks.